We have a huge range of wildlife volunteering projects working with creatures from the downright cuddly to the slippery and scaly. Whether you would like to work hands on or hands off, out in the wilderness or somewhere more convenient, you’re still going to be spoilt for choice as a volunteer with wildlife.
Check out the areas of wildlife volunteering you can get involved in below.
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Get up close to elephants and lions on a Big 5 game reserve, surf the waves in Jeffrey’s Bay and take in the wonders of the amazing Garden Route on an all round South African adventure!
Experience an exciting and varied volunteer project on a beautiful Big 5 Game Reserve near to South Africa’s coast. Assist in conservation management whilst learning new skills and meeting some great people. You will also have the opportunity to take part in a worthwhile community project.
Swim with great whites…in a cage! Sail through Sharks’ Alley, among seals and penguins, while you record shark activity. Tuition on shark behaviour, underwater filming and lots more will give you an in depth understanding of these magnificent creatures.
Join our action packed adventure tour whilst taking in amazing scenery and getting involved with worthwhile volunteer work. Enjoy the best of South Africa's wildlife and try your hand at abseiling, zip slides and sky high canopy tours.
Surround yourself with some of Africa's most beautiful animals on this fantastic 2 week volunteer project. Located in South Africa, you will be assisting in caring for Lions, Leopards and Hyena's as well as many other species of wildlife.
Nurse injured and orphaned monkeys, plus baboons, snakes, crocodiles and any other animals needing attention. Longer-staying volunteers have the chance to work on sites that release monkeys back into the wild. Project Video Now Online
This varied programme will get you involved in elephant conservation as well as community development on the beautiful island of Sri Lanka. Work with the local people to improve education and promote the work of the project in improved elephant care and conservation.
Get stuck into the demanding but highly rewarding work of caring for sick animals, building enclosures, darting and relocating animals, and helping release them into natural surroundings.
Get close to the fastest mammal in the world! Monitor cheetahs and leopards and help restore the plains back to their natural state. You’ll play a vital role in preserving African wildlife for the future.
Work with orang-utans in a zoo, before seeing them in a rehabilitation centre and the wild. The trip takes you deep into the Bornean jungle, where you’ll help build trails and get to know the Iban tribes.
Assist in a giant panda sanctuary and help to save this incredible species from extinction. You will be involved in feeding and observing the pandas, as well as the opportunity to help with important research projects.
The exotic creatures that inhabit the waters of Ecuador’s underwater world need protecting as marine resources are increasingly becoming under pressure from the fishing industry. Plunge deep into the waters and identify vulnerability within the presence of species to help preserve this marine environment for generations to come.
The chance to volunteer at a wildlife sanctuary on Kangaroo Island is a truly unique opportunity to learn about the amazing Australian wildlife in a simply stunning location.
Get involved with innovative and highly successful work to enrich the lives of the resident rescued gibbons. Study them, help care for them on a daily basis and just enjoy watching them interact against a stunning natural background.
Experience life in Kenya from the inside with the Kenya Gap Experience. It includes community work, a wildlife safari, a snorkelling excursion, visits to Diani, beach parties – and an overwhelming sense of achievement.
Help out zookeepers and learn about the likes and dislikes of sun bears, camels, elephants, tigers and more. Your tasks might include feeding, cleaning out and catching the animals and working as a guide. Project Video Now Online
Walk with lions and watch cubs hunt their first prey. This is a rare opportunity to get close to wild animals while contributing to valuable breeding and release work. Explore the grasslands on horseback or elephant-back, too.
Escort baby turtles to the sea, take part in patrols to protect the eggs and observe turtle behaviour. Working next to the Pacific Ocean, you’ll be part of a highly successful conservation project.
Play a part in protecting South Africa’s beautiful Wild Coast. Work at a lion cub centre, sleep under the stars, learn about wildlife management, go on game drives and bushwalks, and more – perfect for outdoor people!
Get yourself on course to manage a game farm or nature reserve. Surrounded by the Big Five and other African wildlife, you’ll learn about educational bush walks, how to identify animals, game tracking, navigation and more. Project Video Now Online
Volunteer in the Amazon and help with the day-to-day care and rehabilitation of animals that have been abused or injured. These might include monkeys, jaguars, lions, parrots and other native species.
Gain an in depth knowledge of koalas and other native species by helping with feeding, monitoring and more. Free time can be spent in nearby Brisbane or getting to know the animals better.
Work with some of the rarest groups of gibbons - small, endangered apes. Through this project, you can get involved with all aspects of their care and efforts to keep them from extinction.
Put your love of photography to good use on a World Heritage Site. Photograph elephants, rhinos and many other creatures for a database, and possibly magazines. You’ll also teach local children about their surroundings.
Need a career change? Want a qualification? Always dreamt of working alongside the wildlife of Africa? Then this is field guide course in South Africa is the ideal programme for you!
Nurse injured and confiscated wildlife back to health. You might care for monkeys, parrots, ocelots, taras or kinkajous, carry out wildlife surveys or get see the animals released. Take a trip to the Mayan ruins, too.
Live ranch life to the full with activities such as horse riding, cattle gathering, branding, trail riding and ranch chores. Campfires and scenery straight from the big screen make it perfect for horse-loving travellers!
Live a horse lover’s dream! Help with the day-to-day care of neglected and abused horses and build up their confidence. You’ll be able to ride the Wild Coast’s spectacular beach and bush trails too.
Care for some of Australia’s truly unique animals in a sanctuary situated in the tropical rainforest of north Queensland. Assist the experienced wildlife keepers and help visitors see the great conservation work the sanctuary is continuing to do.
The perfect combination of sport and conservation. Help look after turtle eggs and the baby turtles - not difficult when they’re so sweet! Then learn to surf or improve your technique at a nearby beach.
Help plant crops to feed the elephants of the province, enjoy giving them a wash down at the river and offer support to the local communities on this exciting programme in Surin.
Experience raw Africa through the plains of Kenya. You’ll witness it's breathtaking landscapes, learn about nomadic cultures, help provide first hand data on wildlife activities and promote harmony between the community and wildlife.
Get up close and personal with Africa’s wildlife, from Black Mambas to Baboon Spiders. As a reptile centre volunteer, you’ll be involved in research, feeding, building enclosures, demonstrating and much more. Project Video Now Online
Work with the local community on this worthwhile volunteering programme. You'll help to conserve and protect turtles in Sri Lanka and assist cleaning, feeding and releasing the turtles and increase their chances of survival and you'll also teach conversational English to the locals to enable them a brighter future.
Go back to basics in the Namib Desert as you take part in projects that help elephants and landowners to live together in harmony. You’ll go on a unique elephant patrol and get involved in building projects.
Get up close and personal with whale sharks – they eat plankton, not humans! Learn to dive in tropical waters and collect data on whale sharks, coral reefs and turtles.
Help with the day-to-day care of sick and disabled wild animals. You might be preparing food for bears, crocodiles, big cats or other animals, or assisting with building enclosures!
Hands-on involvement with conservation projects that will give you in depth insight into Australia’s fauna. Help out with fun days and present pythons, lizards and other animals to the public.
Learn more than you thought possible about Australia’s wildlife. Your tasks might include feeding and caring for the animals, maintaining the sanctuary and helping out with animal shows and night walks.
Help change people’s opinions of wolves and wolf dogs, and care for those that have been neglected and abused. Take the chance to to discover the attractions of rural New Mexico too.
Handle rhino, train elephants and make a real difference to the future of endangered species in Zimbabwe. Living close to the animals will give you a unique insight into their lives and make for fantastic photos opportunities.
Help care for unwanted, abused or neglected primates at this tranquil rescue centre in central Florida. You will work hard, make great friends and return home having had an extremely rewarding experience.
Learn how to identify and photograph dolphins, penguins and other sea creatures. You’ll be working towards making dolphin watching a tourist attraction, and thus persuading fishermen not to kill them for food.
Get up close to jaguars, parrots and other wildlife. The creatures have been held captive, but will hopefully be returned to the wild. Help nurse them back to health and educate the public about the centre’s work.
Do the unthinkable - walk with lions! Collect data, carry out research and watch as the lion cubs learn to hunt. You’ll also educate local children, and pay a memorable visit to elephant orphans.
This is a fantastic opportunity to experience African wilderness whilst contributing to the conservation of large carnivores in this area. The carnivore research project offers a hands-on scientific experience as well as helping to conserve habitats and wildlife.
Actively help to save endangered wildlife species in Zululand by initiating, implementing and managing some of the most exciting monitoring projects in this part of South Africa.
Experience the ultimate in wildlife conservation and walk with lions through the African bush. As you walk alongside the lions, enjoy the exhilaration of being part of a hunt as the young cubs learn to stalk their prey so that eventually they can be released back into the wild.
Get hands-on with orphaned and injured animals. The centre cares for big cats, baboons, crocodiles and many others, and is also working to tackle the problem of wild animals attacking farmers’ livestock.
Set off on an incredible journey across the world’s most fascinating continent! Discover the hidden secrets of the African plains and get to know its wildest inhabitants as you walk with lions and hang out with monkeys! Zimbabwe - Namibia - South Africa.
Embark on a life changing marine odyssey and feast your eyes on rare and beautiful species as you travel from the shores of Mozambique to coast of Costa Rica. Mozambique – Sri Lanka – Peru – Costa Rica
Covering Thailand, China, Malaysia, Africa and Australia, this really is the ultimate wildlife experience! Lend a hand with vital conservation work across the globe and get up close to a variety of animals! Zimbabwe - Thailand - China - Malaysia - Australia - USA
Ideal for animal lovers who want to make a difference while they traverse the globe, this adventure packed conservation gap year will take you from the tropics of Thailand to the beaches of Florida! Thailand - Australia - USA
We’ve spiced up our complete South America gap year option with a Galapagos adventure! Combine volunteering with intrepid exploration, a linguistic challenge and a trip to these awe-inspiring islands! Ecuador - Galapagos Islands - Peru – Bolivia
Give orphaned and injured sloths the TLC they need. You’ll help out at a centre dedicated to the protection of these endangered creatures, feeding them and helping them return to the wild.
Project Video Now Online
